A bio-luminescent moment
Cats: Uncategorized|Walking along the Northumberland Shore one evening this summer, a phycologist of my acquaintance showed me a little trick of nature that sort of blew my mind.
He called me to the water’s edge and told me to stir the water with my feet. So I did. And the most amazing thing appeared: flecks of light in the water. When I splashed again, the flecks lit up again, wriggling like little sparks of fire through the dark water.
The phycologist – a pedant at heart – explained that this is bio-luminescence. Tiny little marine organisms called dinoflagellates emit light when disturbed. If there are enough of these organisms, the bio-luminescence will light up an entire wave. Satellite photos have captured huge areas of bio-luminescence in the ocean, something sailors used to call the “milky sea.”
You’ve probably seen a fire fly display bioluminescence. But on this night it was in the water. It was like a magic trick only there was no trick. It was real.
September 18th, 2007 at 11:09 am
I experienced that at the YMCA summer camp at Big Cove (?)…very cool.
September 19th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Oh, how cool! Now I want to go to the beach to try it out.
September 19th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
I’ve heard about this but never experienced it. I’ll try it, sounds lovely.
September 20th, 2007 at 2:50 am
Dick, perhaps you were with the pedantic phycologist when you saw it?
Beth and Chelene, it really is like magic.
September 20th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Dinoflagellates … aren’t they prehistoric creatures who are into whipping and flogging? So sorry. It’s late, and I’m tired.
I’d love to see this happen one of these days. Sounds magical indeed!
September 23rd, 2007 at 9:25 am
I’ll be right down to try this, sounds very enchanting. Is this where the term ‘happy feet’ came from?
October 28th, 2008 at 8:33 am
People should read this.